


Firm Foothold

by I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning



Series: The Dark Side of the Force is the One Ring by Another Name [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Obi-Wan is Frodo- Angst and Goodhearted Kindness, Qui-Gon is Gandalf- Loves Obi-Wan so Much, Star Wars Characters in LotR Scenes, The Ring Conversation in Bagend but with Star Wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 17:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12194352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning/pseuds/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning
Summary: The Dark Side is like the One Ring. This is my headcanon, forever and ever. Flavor of icecream, my ass.





	Firm Foothold

**Author's Note:**

> Is the dialogue taken directly from the book?
> 
> ...Yes.
> 
> That being said, was there any need for this little snippet to be written? As for any measurable benefit, absolutely not. For me on a soul-content level? My fingers itched, they demanded, for a moment the Ringer and the Star Wars fan ended up hopelessly tangled, and writing this left me feeling happy. That's purpose enough.
> 
> Courtesy Warning: If you revere the idea of a "Gray Jedi" you may want to go somewhere else. [Future Fair Warning addition: Now. Before you read the rest of this paragraph. I appear to have been feeling a bit spiteful this morning.] I won't be playing nice in this story. Also you may want to stop following Pablo Hidalgo on Twitter. And watch out for any Dave Filoni interviews. And sure as hell don't listen to George Lucas behind-the-scenes clips on the entire point of Star Wars, or who the Chosen One is, or how and when he brought balance to the Force.

“One as wise as yourself should keep it,” Obi-Wan asserted.

“ _ No _ !” Qui-Gon cried. “With that power I should have a power too great and terrible, and over me, the Darkness would gain a power over me still more great and deadly. Do not tempt me, for I do not wish to become like the Dark Lord himself, yet the way of the Dark to my heart is by pity. Pity and the desire for the strength to do good. Do not tempt me! I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe, unused.” The old one looked grim. “The wish to wield it would be too great for my strength. I shall have such need of it. Great perils lie before me.”

The wizard moved to the window, drawing back the curtains. Sunlight, near shocking Obi-Wan, streamed into the room. For a long moment they stood there frozen, and then Qui-Gon looked back at him. “The decision lies with you,” he said, voice gentle. “But I will always help you.” He laid his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. “I will help you bear this burden, as long as it is yours to bear, but we must do something soon. The Enemy is moving.”

Qui-Gon sat down again, looking lost in thought.

 

* * *

 

Qui-Gon's eyes seemed closed, but underneath the near-closed eyelids, he was watching Obi-Wan intently. Obi-Wan gazed fixedly at the red embers on the hearth until they could be seen reflected in the glaze of his eyes.

Qui-Gon could see him staring down into the fabled cracks of a liquid fire, soul filling with an exhaustion he was too young to carry.

“Well?” the wizard asked at last. “What are you thinking about? Have you decided what to do?”

 

* * *

 

Obi-Wan returned to himself from the darkness, finding to his surprise it was  _ not  _ dark outside yet. “No. Or perhaps, yes. As far as I understand it, I must keep the Ring containing this Darkness guarded, at least for the present— and unused— whatever it may do to me.”

“Whatever it may do, it will be slow to evil if you keep it with that purpose,” Qui-Gon assured him.

Obi-Wan sought his gaze, feeling sick to his soul. “I hope so,” he whispered. “But I hope that you may find some other  _ better _ keeper soon. But in the meanwhile it seems that I am a danger to all that live near me. I cannot keep it and stay here. I ought to leave the Order, leave the Republic, leave everything, and go away.” He sighed, the thought squeezing his heart. “I should like to save the Republic if I could, though I have thought them foolish and petty at times, wondered if an attack by a dragon might not do them some good.”

Tears filled his eyes though they did not fall.

“I do not feel like that now,” Obi-Wan continued. “I feel that as long as the Republic lies safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable. I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again.”

 

 

 


End file.
